Clinton, Obama trade accusations after debate

Posted: Wednesday, January 23, 2008

WASHINGTON - Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton argued on Tuesday that Barack Obama's frustration with losing prompted him to look for a fight in their latest debate. Obama said his rival and her husband, former President Clinton, were distorting his record.

"I think it's very clear that Senator Clinton ... and the president have been spending the last month attacking me in ways that are not accurate," Obama told reporters in a conference call shortly after she lashed out at him in a bitter exchange that carried over from Monday night's debate.

Speaking to reporters in Washington, Hillary Clinton belittled Obama's line of debate criticism against her as "rehearsed points."

"I think what we saw last night was that he's very frustrated," she said. "I believe that the events of the last 10 or so days, the outcome of New Hampshire and Nevada, have apparently convinced him to adopt a different strategy."

In the debate in Myrtle Beach, S.C., the two leading Democrats argued bitterly and in personal terms over issues such as Iraq and Bill Clinton's role in the campaign.

She restated her argument that Obama was unwilling to answer hard questions about his record, including his opposition to the Iraq war, his support for military budgets and his "present" votes as a member of the Illinois Legislature.